Coupon ticket printing machine



Aug. 9, 1932.

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M. J. HOFFMAN COUPON TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 51. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 FIORRIS J. HOFFMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS COUPON TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Application filed October 31, 1930. Serial N0. 492,506.

This invention relates to coupon ticket printing machines, and its principal object is the provision of'a machine for printing information of various kinds upon a coupon 5 ticket, as, for instance, an identification number, the date, instructions, and prices for individual operations on an article. Coupon tickets are employed for furnishing instructions and other data concerning articles in the course of manufacture, and for furnishing the workman, who perform labor upon the article, with coupons having prices printed thereon that represent money earned for the service performed in the manufacture of the article. i

In establishments where many styles or a great variety of grades of articles are manufactured, it has been found necessary to employ several machines for printing the required information, since no one machine was capable of printing all of the info mation required for the various tickets used in connection with the various articles manufactured. Gne of the objects ofthis invention is to provide a machine which is practically universal for printing coupon tickets.

Another object is to provide a coupon ticket printing machine with type holders containing type with which the prices for individual operations are printed upon the coupons of a coupon ticket, the type for printing the prices for each particular grade or style of articles being arranged in a row which may be readily brought into printing position to ,rint that row up on the ticket. Usually there are two rows of coupons on a ticket, one row of prices being printed upon each row of coupons.

In accordance with the present invention, all of the type holders for the price printing type are mounted upon a movable type carriage, whereby any selected row or companion rows of type may be brought into printing position my moving the type carriage to selected position. The individual type holders are independently movable in the type carriage, sothat in case the price for services performed in connection with one or more operations of the article varies from the-fixed price for that operation on the article, the type holder for that particular operation or operations may be adjusted independently of the others to bring the selected price on that particular type holder into.

illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification in Which Figure 1 is a plan, with certain portions broken away, of the coupon ticket printing machine forming the subject matter of this specification;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, partly broken away, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan, partly broken away, of a certain impression pad used in the machine;

Fig. 5 is aplan of a fragment of a coupon ticket containing information thereon printed by the machine; V

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical cross sectiontaken on the line 6 of Fig. 1; i 1

Fig. 7 is a plan of one of the type setting so wheels seen in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation of one of the type holders used in the machine for printing instructions and other information;

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 10 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan of the type holder seen in Fig. 8; Fig. 12 is a fragmental view of the type carriage and two of the price printing type holders contained therein; I i Fig. 13 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; 95

Fig. 14 is a detail cross section taken on the line 14L14 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a frag-mental front elevation of the machine.

In the embodiment of the invention illust-rated, the machine is used to print an identification number, the date, and certain instructions on the body of a coupon ticket, and the prices for performing work by individual workman, on two rows of coupons attached to the body of the ticket.

Referring now to said drawings, which illustrate a simple embodiment of the present invention, the reference character 16 designates the main supporting frame of the ma chine which, in general, comprises a table 17 supported by legs 18. Rotatably mounted at the front end of the table are type wheels 12 preferably arranged in two ormore series, as seen in Fig. 1, and bearing on their peripheries type faces forprinting the digits 1 to O and also several letters of the alphabet.

Setting wheels 20 are provided for manipulating the type wheels 19, and said setting wheels are connected to the type wheels, as, for instance, by tubular shafts 21 and 21, one mounted within the other, as seen in Fig. 6, the central shaft 21 being rotatably mounted in upstanding members 17 a and 17 of the table 17; The endmost setting wheel and type wheel of each set are rigidly fastened to the innermost shaft, and the intermediate setting wheels and type wheels are rigidly mounted upon the outer tubular shafts in progressive succession, as seen in Fig. 6, whereby any of the type wheels may be turned by turning the setting wheel which is connected thereto. Preferably the setting wheels are formed with peripheral sockets eries corresponding with the characters which 7 appear on the type wheels and serve a guide for the attendant in setting the type wheels 19 to print a selected identification number. Between the two series of type wheels 19 is a dating stamp 23 which is secured to and supported by the table 17 and prints the date upon the coupon ticket, as indicatedat Z) in Fig. 5.

Adjustably supported upon the table 17 beyond the number printing wheels 19 are type holders 24, each of which contains set type for printing instructions or other data 0 (see Fig. 5) concerning the article which the coupon ticket represents. The type holders 24 are in the form of trough-like bars (see Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive) and each contains set type 25 suitably secured in the type holders and used for printing the instructions or other information 0 on the couponticket. The

set type 25 occupy about one-half the length of a type holder and the other half is occupied by a strip of cardboard or paper 26 upon which is printed for the guidance of the attendant, a duplicate of the instructions contained on the set type 25. The upper side edges of each trough-like type holder 24 are bent to form opposing grooves 27 along that part of the type holder not occupied by the type, and the strip 26 is held in the groove. The printed strip may be covered by a transparent strip, such as celluloid. The type holders 24 are slidably mounted on the table 17 and are capable of occupying an idle position at one side of the ticket which is being printed, and also capable of occupying a printing position. The printing position is underneath an ink ribbon 44, which extends from front to back of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that several of the type holders 24 may occupy idle positions, and that one or more of them, designated by 24 may occupy the printing position. The type holders 24 are contained in grooves 28 (see Figs. 1 and 2) between ribs 28 formed on a guide member 29 and may be readily moved along in said grooves to bring the type 25 into printing position. Any additional number of such type holders may accompany the machine and may be set with type for printing instructions and other data.

Movably carried by the table 17 is a type carriage 30, here show in the form of a rectangular plate having an upstanding marginal edge. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the type carriage 30 rests upon the table 17 and is movable transversely thereof by suitable means, as will be hereinafter explained, and said type carriage is guided for right line movement by pins 31 projecting up from the table and entering slots 32 formed in the side edge flanges of the type carriage 30 and provided with nuts upon their upper threaded ends.

Adj ustably carried by the type carriage 30 are two series of type holders 34 (one series at the right hand side of the table and one series at the left hand side thereof), which, as shown, are held in grooves 35 formed between transverse ribs 36 carried by the type carriage 30. The ribs may be formed on a plate 37 that rests on the flat bottom of-the type carriage. The type holders 34 contain the type which print prices, indicated by d, and e on the coupons f and 9 (see Fig. 5).

Coupon tickets usually have two rows of coupons and the prices to be paid for the several operations are printed upon both rows of coupons on spaces provided along two parallel lines. Each series of type holders 34 contains rows of type 38, one row of which may be brought into printing position for printing the prices on a row of couchanne1 shaped bars in which the type 38 are set and locked in place. 'About half the length of each type holder-34 is occupied by the type and the other half contains a card or strip 39 upon which is printed figures corresponding to the figures on the type and arranged in the same location upon the strip.

The printed card or strip 39 may be covered by a celluloid strip 40, and held in the upper edges of the type holder beyond the type hol ing part, said edges being bent up "to form grooves for receiving the edge portions of the strip 39 and celluloid cover 40, as is illustrated in Fig. 14. Knobs or handies 41 are provided on the type holders wherebythey may be conveniently manipulated. Co-acting means are provided between the type holders and their support for holding the type holders in any selected positions of adjustment. As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the holding means comprise a rounded protuberance 42 formed upon the lower side of the type holder and adapted to engage in any one of a series of sockets or depressions 43 formed in the plate 37.

The part of each type holder containing the card or strip 39 is made twice as wide as the-part that contains the type, and said wider part is guided between the ribs 36. Two type holders are contained in each groove, one for printing on a coupon in one row of coupons and the other forprinting on acoupon in the other row. The unoccupied" space between any rib 36 and the type holding part of a type holder provides a space into which the type holding part of the other type holder contained in the same groove may be moved into an overlapping condition, the purpose of which is to print two rows of prices in two rows of spaces on the coupons.

Above the type holders is the ink ribbon 44 which is wound upon rollers 45 and 46 j ournaled in the upstanding lugs carried by the table 17. Above the ink ribbon is a pressure pad 47 (see Figs. 1 and 4) which extends from front to back of the machine and is pivotally or hingedly connected thereto on a line running transversely of the machine as at 48 and normally spring" pressed in an upward direction by coiled spring 49 surrounding the hinge pin of the hinge and bearing against the pressure pad and'tab1el7.

The pressure pad 47 comprises two parallel narrow strips 50 connected at the rear end by a cross piece 51 and joined at the forward end by a rectangular pad portion 52.

The parallel narrow portions 50 are located along the lines where the printing is to be done by the price printing: type contained in the type holders 34 and define the printing position thereof, and the rectangular part 52 of the pressure pad is located over the printing osition of the type contained in the type holders 24 and over the type wheels 19 and dater 23. It will be seen, therefore, that when the pressure pad 47 is brought down upon coupon ticket interposed between the ink ribbon and pressure pad, the rows of'type underneath the narrow portions 50 and the type underneath the rectangular portion 52 will guide rails 54 extending from front to back of the machine and secured to the table The guide rails are slotted, as at 55, and the spindle 56 of the roller extends through said slots and is carried by arms 57 that are joined at their upper end by a handle 58. The arms 57 have rollers 59 upon their lower ends that travel in the slots 55. so that whenever the handle is pulled in a forward and downward direction, the roller 53 is pressed. down upon the pressure pad 47 and as the roller travels forward upon the narrow portions 50 and the rectangular part 52' thereof, said parts 1 are pressed down upon the ticket, and, as a result, an impression is made on the underside thereof by the ribbon and the type that are contained in the printing position below the members of the pressure pad.

The type contained in the type holders 34 print figures denoting prices upon the several coupons of the ticket, and said type are set in the type holders 34 so as .to form rows of type running parallel withthe narrow strips 50 of the pressure pad. The type of each row print on the coupons the separateamounts for the various operations required in the manufacture of an article by the clifferent persons performing work upon the article. For instance, in the manufacture of shoes, one workman cuts the uppers, another cuts the soles, a third performs certain sewing operations,- etc-., and the type contained in each row print upon the respective coupons the price or amount which each workman is entitled to for performing his particular work upon the article. Inasmuch as there may be several styles or grades of an article and since the price paid to the various workmen vary in accordance with the style and grade of the article, several. rows of type are provided in the type holders, and means are provided for bringing any selected companion rowsof type into printing position undderneath the narrow strips of the pressure accordance with the ordinary practice, all of the type holders'34 for the price printing type of both series are adjusted towards the left, as viewed inFig. 1, as far as they will go, whereby the right end row of type contained in the series of type holders on the left side of the machine will be in printing position under one of the narrow strips of the pressure pad, and the right end row of the type contained in the series of type holders at the right side of the machine will be in printing position under the other narrow strip of the impression pad. The two rows of type under the narrow strip portions of the impression pad at any given time may be termed companion rows, since they print on companion rows of coupons. When an impression is made on a coupon ticket with the parts in the position just explained, the price printing type in printing position only will make the impression on the coupon ticket. WVhen it is desired to print the prices contained in the second row, or any other row, of the type contained in the type of both series of type holders 34, the entire type carriage 30, together with the type holders contained therein is moved to the right on the table 17 to the selected position, and the means shown in the drawings for accomplishing this will now be described.

Extending from front to back of the machine below the table 17 is a shaft which is journaled in the main supporting frame 16, and upon said shaft are secured two pinions 61 that mesh with rack bars 62 provided upon the underside of the type carriage 30. Upon the end of the shaft 60 at the front of the machine is a hand wheel 63 by means of which the shaft may be turned. It will be observed that by turning the shaft in the proper direction, the type carriage 30, together with the type holders carried thereby, is moved to the right of the position inclicated in Fig. 1, thereby bringing any two companion rows of price printing type into printing position underneath the narrow strips of the pressure pad.

The grade or classes of merchandise to which the prices in each row are applied may be designated as Class A, Class B, etc., the first row being Class A, thesecond row Class B, etc., and an indicator is provided for the guidance of the attendant when adjusting the type carrier. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 15, a dial or indicating scale 64 is provided at the front of the machine which cooperates with a pointer 65 carried by a rack bar 66 which is moved in unison with the type carriage by a pinion 67 fast on the shaft 60. The dial or indicating scale 64 may bear the characters A, B, C, D, etc., which are spaced apart to correspond with the spacing of the rows of type in the type holders 3 4, WVith the guide mechanism, the attendant desiring to bring into printing-position any selected companion rows of piece printingtype into printing position turns the wheel 63 until the pointer 65 points to the character on the.

scale designating said companion rows.

For holding the type carriage in any selected position of adjustment, a detent 68 (see Fig. 3) is provided on the underside of the type carrier which enters spaced sockets or depressions 69 formed in the upper side of the table 17. Said sockets are spaced apart the same distance as the rows of the price printing type. When the type carriage is moved to any selected position, the spring .detent 68 snaps into the socket 69 therebelow the endmost price printing type in the type.

holders register with the edge of the bar 70. To bring any selected type into printing position the type holder containing the type is adjusted to bring the figure corresponding with it into register with the edge of the bar.

In the operation of the machine, the identification number type wheels are set to print the 'required identification number, the date is set and the type holders containing the instructions or other data are adjusted to bring the selected ones into printing position underneath the ink ribbon. The type carriage is thenadjusted to bring the selected companion rows of. price printing type into printing position underneath the narrow strips of-the pressurerpad. ,A coupon ticket is then placed uponfthe ink ribbon over the type which are in printing position, the pressure pad'at this time being held above the ink ribbon. Thereafter, the impression roller is drawn, forward across the pressure pad, thereby pressing the pad down on the ticket andmaking the impression thereon. All of the information necessary to complete the coupon ticket is thereupon printed on the same. 1

It sometimes happens that in a particular order for merchandise, the prices for one or more operations on the merchandise varies from the fixed price for such operation. To meet this, situation, the individual adjustability of the type holders 34 is provided, and in such case the type-holder containing the type for printing a different price on the coupon-or coupons is adjusted on the type carriage so as to bring the type for printing the different price into printing position.

It will be seen, therefore, that the machine provides for the printing of several fixed 'with said selected row of type to make an imsaid supporting member to move transversely ers. For instance, in the manufacture of shoes, an order may require that a special kind of eyelets be used for which the price for the work of putting them in the shoes is differentfrom that of putting in the or dinary eyelets. In such case, the type holder 34, containing the type for printing the price for putting in the eyelets is adjusted to bring the different price into the printing position. This individual adjustment of the type holde s 34 is possible regardless of which row of type is in printing position. It will be seen, therefore, that several sched ules of prices may be printed with the machine, and because of the individual adjus ability of the price printing type holders a great multiplicity of variations may be obtained which will meet almost any situation.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention. I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims, to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claim as new, and desire te secure by Letters Patent: i

1. A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a supporting member, a type carriage. adjustably mounted on said supporting member, aseries of type holders on said type carriage, set type in said type holders and arranged rows, means for positioning individual type holders in said type carriage to hold any type thereof'in any selected row, means whereby said type oarriage is adjusted to bring any selected row of type into printing position, and impression making means cooperating with said selected row of type to make an impression.

2. A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a supporting memher, a type carriage adjustably mounted on said supporting member, a series of type holders movably mounted on said type carriage for independent; adjustment, settype in said holders and arranged in rows, means for positioning individual type holders in said type carriageto hold any type thereof in any selected row, means whereby said type carriage is adjusted to bring any selected row of type into printing position, and impression making means cooperating pression,

3; A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a supporting member, a type carriage adjustably mounted on thereof, a series of type holders movably mounted on said type carriage for independent adjustment, set type in said type holders and arranged in rows, means for positioning individual type holders in said type carriage to hold any type thereof in any selected row, means whereby said type carriage is adjusted to bring any selected row of type into printing position, and impression making means cooperating with said selected row of type to make an impression.

a. A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a supporting member, a type carriage adjustably mounted on said supportin member to move transverse- 1y thereof and having a seriesof tra'n sversely extending guideways, a series of type holders slidably guided in said guideways for independent adjustment, set type in said type holders, means for positioning said type holders in said guide-ways to bring selected type thereof into rows, means for moving said carriage to bringany selected row of type into printing position, and impression making means co-operating with said selected row of type to make an impression.

5. A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a supporting member, a type carriage adjust-ably mounted on said supporting member to move transversely thereof and having a series of transversely extending guideways, two series of type holders slidably guided in said guideways for in.- dependent adjustment, there being two type holders in each guideway and having type holding portions adapted to overlap each other in certain positions of adjustment, set type in said type holders, means. for positioning said type holders in said guideways to bring selected type thereof into companion rows, means for moving said type carriage to bring two companion rows of type into printing position, and impression making means co-operating with said companion rows of type to make an impression.

6?. A coupon ticket printing machine comprising in combination a table, a type carriage slidably mounted on said table to move transversely thereofand having a series of transversely extending guideways thereon, type holders slidably guided in said guideways for independent adjustment, there being two series of type holders, one at each side of said type carriage and-having type holding portions adapted to overlap each other when moved to certain positions of adjustment, set type insaid type holders, means for positioning said type holders in said guideways to bring selected type. thereof into two companion rows, means for moving, said carriage to bring any selected companion rows of type into printing position, and impression mak ing means co-operating with said selected companion rows of type to make an impress sion.

7. In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a table, a type carriage slidably mounted thereon for transverse movement, two series of type holders mounted on said type carriage, one series at each side thereof, set type in said type holders and arranged in two series of rows, a pressure pad having a pair of spaced narrow impression strips for defining the printin position of said rows of type, and means or adjusting the type carriage transversely of the table to bring any selected companion rows of type underneath said impression strips of the pressure pad.

8. In acoupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a table, a type carriage slidably mounted thereon for transverse movement and provided with transversely extending guideways, two series of type holders slidably mounted in said guideways for independent adjustment, one series at each side thereof, set type in said type holders and ar ranged in two series of rows, a pressure pad having a pair of spaced narrow impression strips for defining the printing position of said rows of type, and means for adjusting the type carriage transversely of the table to bring any selected companion rows of type underneath said impression'strips of the pressure pad.

9. In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a table, a type carriage slidably mounted thereon for transverse movement, type holders mounted in said type carriage, set type in said type holders and arranged in rows, an impression pad defining the printing position of said rows of type, and means for adjusting the type carriage transversely of the table to bring any selected row into printing position.

10. In a coupon ticket printing machine,

ing the printing position of said rows of type, 7

means for adjusting the type carriage transversely of the table to bring any selected row into printing position, an indicating scale, and a pointer co-operating with said type carriage to indicate the printing position of said rows of type.

11. In a coupon ticket printing machine,

the combination of a table, artype carriage slidably mounted thereon to move transversely thereof, type holders mounted in said type carriage, set type in said type holders ar ranged in rows, a pressure pad for defining the printing position of the rows of type,

means for adjusting said type carriage transversely of the table to bring a selected row of type into printing position, and indicating" means having a member operated by said mounted thereon, set type in each series of type holders and arranged inrows', a pres sure pad having two spaced parallel pressure strips arranged to define theprinting position of the rows of type, and means for ad- I justing the type carriage to bring selected companion rows of type into printing position.

13. In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a table, identification number type wheels -mounted thereon, type holders containing set type for printing instructions adjustably mounted on said table and each capable of being selectively adjusted to a printing position, a transversely adj ustable type carriage mounted on said table, type holders mounted on said type carriage, price printing type set in said last mentioned type holders, means for adjusting said type carriage transversely of the table, and a pressure pad having means for defining the printing position of the identification number type wheels, the instruction printing type, and the price printing type.

14. In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a transversely adjustable type carriage, having transversely extending guideways thereon, two oppositely disposed series of type holders slidably mounted in said guideways, there being oppositely disposed type holders in each guideway having type holding portions capable ofoverlapping each other, andprice print ing type set in said type holders.

15. In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a type carrier having transversely extending guideways thereon,

type holders slidably guided in said guide-l ways, changeable price printing type set in said type holders, changeable indicating strips corresponding to said type and carried by said type holders, said type holders being adjustableto various printing positions, and a gauge bar co-operating with saidindicating strips to define the printing position 0 the type.

16. In a coupon ticket printing machine,

the combination of a type carriage provided with transversely extending guideways thereon, pairs of type holders slidably mounted in said guideways for independent adjustment, there being one pair of typeholders in each guideway and having overlapping type holding portions inthe guideway, and coacting means between said guideways and the type holders for holding said type holders in any selected position of adjustment.

17 In a coupon ticket printing machine, the combination of a table, a type carriage slidably mounted thereon, type holders mounted on said type carriage, set type contained in said type holders, an impression pad for determining the printing position of said type, meansfor adjusting the type carriage transversely of the table, and co-acting means between the table and type car.

riage for determining the various positions of adjustment.

18. In a coupon ticket printing machine, an impression pad comprising two spaced parallel impression strips connected at one end by a rectangularimpression strip, type carriers containing set type and adjustable transversely of said strips to bring any selected type thereof into printing relation therewith, and fixedly located type for printing at said rectangular piece.

MORRIS J. HOFFMAN. 

